The recent announcement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) regarding the new pump price for Premium Motor Spirit has been met with disapproval by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The NNPCL, however, explained on Wednesday through its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Garba Deen Muhammad that the adjusted pump price matched the current market realities.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the congress described the move as an “ambush” and accused President Bola Tinubu of putting a “gun to the head of the Nigerian people.”
According to the statement signed by its National President, Joe Ajaero, the NLC said:
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“We are worried that the Government through the NNPC despite the ongoing meeting of Stakeholders in the oil and Gas sector to manage the unilateral but unfortunate announcement by the President to withdraw subsidy on petroleum products, went ahead this morning to announce a new regime of prices under a new pricing template.
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“This is an ambush and runs against the spirit and principles of Social Dialogue which remains the best platform available for the resolution of all the issues arising out of the petroleum Downstream sector.
“Government cannot in one breathe be talking about deregulation and at the same time fixing the prices of Petroleum products. This negates the spirit of allowing the operation of the free market unless the government has as usual usurped, captured, or become Market forces.
“It is therefore unacceptable and we seriously condemn it. Good faith negotiation is key to reaching an agreement. What the government has done is like holding a gun to the head of the Nigerian people and bring undue pressure on the leaders thus undermine the dialogue.
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“We call on the federal government to immediately instruct the NNPC to withdraw this vexatious pricing template to allow free flow of discussions by the parties. Nigerians would not accept any manipulations of any kind from any of the parties, especially from the representatives of the Government.”
